Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

So, you are off for a day shopping, or to go visit a friend, and that empty diaper bag is staring you in the face. What on earth do you need to bring with you? Babies need so many things, and who knows what you might happen to want when you get where you are going?

Well, don’t get your panties tied in a knot. It isn’t as hard as all of that! You can pack an efficient diaper bag, and not be loaded down with a ton of stuff. In fact, unless you are going on a long trip, you can get away with a small diaper bag, for most places you might happen to go with your baby.

What you pack changes a bit, depending on how old your baby is, and whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding. We’ll start out with the basics that every mom needs to put in her diaper bag, no matter how big or small her baby is.

• A least 4 diapers that fit your baby. While you may only be gone for a couple of hours, it is amazing how many messes a little one can generate when you are not prepared.
• A travel wipe container with at least 12 wipes in it. Wet diapers may only take one wipe, but those messy wonders that explode from your baby’s bottom can take up to half a dozen wipes for easy cleaning. You might also want to use a wipe to clean your own hands if you are not in a bathroom where you can wash them. Refill the container with wipes from refill packs for regular wipe containers, rather than buying a new pack – you’ll save lots and still have a good travel pack ready to go.
• A sample-sized container of bum cream. You can generally find sample sized containers of Vaseline or zinc ointment in the drug store or Walmart. You can refill these containers, or buy new ones. These sample bottles generally cost under $2 and are the perfect travel size.
• A waterproofed changing pad. This changing pad is your ticket to changing anywhere. It can be used on top of change tables in public restrooms, or on a couch or the floor at a friend’s house. Try to get one that is on the bigger size, so that it will work with your baby as he grows. Some diaper bags come with changing pads, but if yours doesn’t try shopping at the dollar store.
• A burp cloth. No matter whether your baby is breastfed, or bottle fed, burp cloths are the perfect clean-up tool for baby spit up. You can buy specialty burp cloths, or if you can find flat prefold cloth diapers, they make excellent burps cloths. A good burp cloth may cost a bit, but having absorbency is worth the price.
• One clean change of clothes. It always happens when you least expect it. Your baby has an explosive poopy diaper and coats everything he is wearing with disgusting yellow-brown slime. Every diaper bag should contain a full change of clothes, including socks. Make sure the clothes are suitable to the weather, and fit your baby. It is easy to forget that you have not refreshed your diaper bag’s spare clothes, only to discover that your baby has grown, or the clothes are too lightweight for a cool day.
• At least 2 empty plastic bags. If your baby happens to explode, you will be glad that you have a bag to toss the dirty clothes into. You also might need to put dirty diapers into a bag if there are no garbage cans nearby. Grocery bags are perfect for this job, and don’t cost you a cent.
• A flannel receiving blanket. Whether you use this blanket to cover up when breastfeeding, to put on the floor for some tummy time, or to snuggle your baby with when he’s tired, a receiving blanket is your friend. It also works great to clean up messes if your burp cloth is otherwise engaged.

So, now you’ve got the basics. While it might seem like a lot at first glance, you can in fact fit all of this into a small diaper bag without much fuss. For breastfed babies, you might find that this is everything you need. Bottle fed babies need a few extras to be prepared for all eventualities.

• Enough bottles of formula for the time you plan to be out + 1. You never know if you might get stuck out longer than you expect, so be prepared just in case your baby needs more formula than usual. Bringing pre-made formula in small bottles is a great way to avoid having too much to carry. The 3 oz bottles of ready-made formula can be reused many times, and have safe tops that will prevent spillage which traveling. Sealed drop-ins are another way to transport formula safely and not take up too much room.
• Enough bottle tops and nipples for the formula you have brought. If you bring these with two zip-lock baggies, you can keep the sterile nipples in one baggie, and the used ones in another.
• A frozen ice-pack to keep formula cold. If your formula needs to be kept chilled, you should keep a frozen ice pack available at all times in your freezer. You can buy a few ice packs from the dollar store and exchange them as necessary, so you will never be caught without one.
• A large cup or sealable container. When you are out and about, you might not be able to easily heat your baby’s formula. Bring a cup that is large enough to hold you baby’s bottle, with some spare room for hot water. Most restaurants and donut shops are willing to give you some hot water to heat your baby’s bottle, and with a cup to put it in, you will be prepared. If you can find a sealable container, the right size for your bottle, you can even take the hot water on the go, without the risk of spilling it as you wait for the formula to warm up.

Older babies have a few more requirements. If your baby is eating solids, you might need to bring feeding materials. Try packing the following items in your diaper bag for older babies.

• A baby food bottle of a well-liked food. While you can often give you baby food from wherever you are going, it is useful to have a bottle of something you know that he will like with you.
• Snack food. If your baby likes to feed himself, you might want to bring along a couple of cookies, or other snacks he can feed himself. Try to find things that are less messy if you can, but as long as your baby likes it, bring it along.
• A bib. You will need this for a variety of purposes. The bib of course will be useful when feeding your baby, but it also is great for babies who drool a lot and soak their clothes. If you baby drools a lot, you might want to bring two or more bibs. For feeding, if you can find a plastic bib that can be folded or rolled, it will be better protection for his clothes, and easier to clean up. A zip-lock baggie for dirty bibs is a useful addition for those messy bibs after feeding.
• Extra wipes. There’s nothing better than diaper wipes for quick clean-ups after feeding. Bring along some extra wipes in your travel pack, so you can clean up your baby’s grubby face when he’s done eating.
• A toy.  Older babies sometimes need some extra entertainment. If you pack one toy for your trip, you will be able to keep him interested, even when things get boring. Toys with clips are great as you can clip them onto the strap of your diaper bag, thus freeing up space inside. If you have a few suitable toys, you can change them up and keep you baby guessing which toy you might have brought with you.

Now your diaper bag is probably bulging at the seams. If you have a bit more room, you might want to consider these extras.

• A comfort item. If you baby is particularly attached to a blankie, or a stuffed toy, you might want to bring it along for nap time.
• A spare pacifier. Since babies tend to toss their pacifiers all over the place, you might want to try bringing along a spare, just in case. Keeping it in a zip-lock baggie will keep it clean.
• A portable food grinder. If you baby is eating solids, you might want to invest in a portable food grinder to take with you. Whether it is battery operated, or manual, this will allow you to take any food you purchase for yourself and grind it into baby-friendly mush, so he can eat along with you. This is a great way to avoid having to bring along a lot of baby food if you are going for a longer trip.
• A nursing cover-up. Some women prefer to be well covered when nursing in public. While receiving blankets do a good job, you can get a nursing cover-up that is more secure.

Of course, bringing your purse along makes it twice as hard to carry things around. See if you can find a diaper bag with a special side pocket for your credit cards, bank cards and other necessities. This saves you from carrying an extra bag, and will make life much easier for you.